BVRA Treasure Hunt 2005

The route was planned and the clues constructed.  Is it too hard?  Is it too easy?  Will it rain? Will everybody get back in one piece?  Too late now, the sun was shining and 10 cars were booked in for the first BVRA Treasure Hunt.

The Briefing

As each team arrived maps (OS Explorer Map 159), home made “roamers” and briefing sheets were handed out.  The briefing sheet included some map references and an example question (which happened to be a cast-off from the original route because someone drove off with the answer).

What is a “Navigational Scatter” anyway?

A navigational scatter aims to reduce the likelihood of cars bunching around each clue.  There are three main principles:-

·        Teams leave the start when they have completed plotting, because of the different skill levels and tactics, this naturally staggers the start.

·        By making the clues fairly difficult to solve and plot, each team will have a different set of locations to visit and therefore take a different route.

·        Clues vary in difficulty and therefore marks.  Tactics come into play, is it better to plot and visit lots of simple questions or spend more time deciphering and plotting the difficult questions and visit less places?

Too late to change anything now, time to hand out the questions, “Navigators please”.

The Plotting

Wandering around the hall I thought is it too difficult!  So the odd hint here and there kept everyone on track and made it more of a level playing field.

50 minutes gone and the first teams were off, check the mileage and let them go.

Final instructions, if you get lost or stuck, ring the hall for some extra help.  If you get stuck literally, ring the AA (don’t attempt any of the fords, especially the one not marked on the map).

How is everyone else getting on?  Four teams gone now, time for another round of help and encouragement.  Four still plotting in the hall and one plotting outside in the sunshine.  Wait a minute, 4 + 4 + 1 = 9 ???? lost a team already!  After a quick recount and search, team number 10 were found hiding in the kitchen, didn’t want any cheats stealing their answers I suppose.  Gave some appropriate help and advice and sent them on their way.

The Waiting

Peace at last, time to settle down and read my book, outside in the sunshine, for the next few hours. zzzzzzz……….

After a couple of phone calls, one to say question 13 was faulty, the Cream Tea crew arrived and started setting up.

The Wanderers Return

16:30 came and went, no cars back.  Were they all lost?  Was it too difficult and they had all gone home? (more cream teas for us then).  My plan to have a leisurely, organised marking session just went out the window, nearly all the teams arrived at once, completely overwhelming the two of us doing the marking.  After this initial chaos, we managed to sort it all out, along with explaining how some of the clues worked and where the real answers were.

The map reference takes you to the orientation table at Finchampstead Ridges.  We called up the digital photo to reveal that it shows 4 miles to Caesars Camp and 46 miles to SALISBURY (not Swindon), answer is therefore 50 miles.  Apologies to all those that struggled with this one, we all make mistakes.

The Winners

Finally it was time for my cream tea while Digby Carter announced the winners and presented the prizes.  Congratulations to Jonathan Cairns, Andrew Clark and Marcus Pike, by all accounts they took the whole thing very seriously and were worthy winners.  Second place went to Keith & Judith Neuhofer and family.

Final tally for the afternoon, 10 cars, 47 Cream Teas, 0 accidents, 2 winners, 1 first for the BVRA.

The Epilogue

For those eager to practice ready for next year, this was my favourite question (number 11):-

“B3349 Mattingley 2k or 1 mile” (in the far south) B3349 B3349 B3349 B3349 A327 B3349.  Turn right at 56, turn left at 52 past the church, by the moat, BT ?? ?? 3I.

By plotting a route northwards on the map along the B3349 it joins the A320 from Shinfield to Arborfield.  The B3349 then reappears as School Road and turns into Barkham road at its junction with Langley Common Road.  Turning right (at spot height 56 on the map) is along Barkham Street and left at 52 is along Church Lane.  “Past the Church” is St James Barkham, and “by the moat” (clearly marked on the map) is a telegraph pole.

Only a few answered this question, shame really, the answer is carved on a telegraph pole, outside Church Cottages, less than 100 metres from the hall.

Hope to see you in 2006

Malcolm Clark